How to shake up your next gala

Apr 15, 2014

There are an estimated 2.3 million nonprofit organizations operating in the U.S., each one trying to be heard above the rest to increase awareness, raise funds and recruit support.So, how can your nonprofit shake things up to make its next gala one your community members will want to attend now and for years to come? This newsletter provides some simple tips for spicing up your next dinner gala that will leave your supporters hungry for more.

Avoid excessive tributes and speeches: Sure, dinners and galas present the perfect opportunity to honor those that make it all possible, but oftentimes, speeches and sponsor honors get long-winded and, well … boring. Consider showing a short, two-minute video that can be played during the event that honors sponsors, discusses your mission and lets your guests know how they can help. And if you keep your video broad in its focus, you can use it for other purposes, such as volunteer recruitment and overall awareness. Post the video on your website and direct people to the URL with an imprinted Awareness Ribbon Key Tag or clip that can be handed out at the event.

Rethink your dinner: Many galas center around the traditional sit-down dinner with fundraising auction to follow. TCG Events planner Cassie Brown cautions that this event style inhibits socialization and networking opportunities. She encourages nonprofits to rethink the dinner set-up and use food and drink stations to promote mobility and mingling. Think about a build-your-own stir-fry station, complete with branded chopsticks. Or, try an ice cream sundae bar for dessert. The point is to keep people up and moving.

Revolutionize your auction: Instead of clipboards and line-item bids, transform your auction with mobile bidding. An online auction platform, such as BiddingForGood®, can enhance the auction experience and bring in funds before, during and after your event. Just make sure you provide easy-to-follow instructions for those unfamiliar with the technology and have a few volunteers on staff who can assist prospective bidders. A Cell Phone Stand placed at each spot can be the ideal giveaway to promote mobile bidding while offering auction updates at a glance.

Give thanks: Most of us remember to thank guests for their attendance and support at the event, but sending a thank-you after the fact can go a long way toward keeping your organization—and its mission—on people’s minds. A spice-filled, handwritten thank-you note can be a thoughtful way to show your appreciation and keep people thinking about your revamped, spiced-up event. Choose a spice that was used in your gala’s dinner menu and toss in the recipe, too!

Remember, planning a perfect event that guests will marvel at can be simple if you just shake things up a bit. Try one or all of these simple tips and see if it makes a difference at your next gala.

1: April Fools or All Fools Day
1: Atheist Day
1: Boomer Bonus Days
1: International Tatting Day
1: Library Snap Shot Day
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1: National Fun Day
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2: National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day>
2: National Walking Day
2: Reconciliation Day: 2
2: National Sexual Assault Awareness Month’s Day of Action (SAAM)
2: Whole Grain Sampling Day
2: World Autism Day
3: World Party Day
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Every Day is Tag Day
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7: Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide
7: International Beaver Day
7: International Snailpapers Day
7: Metric System Day
7: National Beer Day
7: No Housework Day
7: Tater Day (It’s Sweet Potatoes)
Note: Not the same as the Yambilee Festival in October.
7: World Health Organization Day
7: Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) (at sundown)
8: Buddha Day
8: Draw A Bird Day
8: International Roma Day
8: Trading Cards For Grown-ups Day<
8: National Be Kind To Lawyers Day
9: National Cherish An Antique Day
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9: Winston Churchill Day
10: ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Day
10: National Farm Animals Day
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10: National Alcohol Screening Day

10: Salvation Army Founder’s Day
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11: Barbershop Quartet Day
11: Day of Silence
11: Education and Sharing Day (Jewish)
11: International “Louie Louie” Day
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13: Global Day to End Child Sexual Abuse
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13: World Youth Day
14: Children with Alopecia Day
14: Dictionary Day
14: Global Day of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS)
14: International Moment of Laughter Day
14: National Dolphin Day
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15: Equal Pay Day
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15: McDonald’s Day
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15: That Sucks Day
15: World Art Day (DaVinci’s Birthday)
15: National Library Workers Day
15: National Library Day
15: One Day Without Shoes Day
16: National Bookmobile Day
16: National Health Care Decisions Day
16: National Stress Awareness Day
16: Save The Elephant Day
17: Bat Appreciation Day
17: Blah! Blah! Blah! Day
17: Ellis Island Family History Day
17: Ford Mustang Day
17: Get to Know Your Customers Day
17: High Five Day
17: National Ask An Atheist Day
17: National Haiku Poetry Day
17: Nothing Like A Dame Day
17: Poem In Your Pocket Day
17: Support Teen Literature Day
18: Adult Autism Day
18: National Columnists Day
18: National Golf Day
18: Pet Owners Independence Day
18: International Amateur Radio Day
18: National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day
19: Auctioneers Day
19: Husband Appreciation Day
19: John Parker Day
19: National Garlic Day
19: National Hanging Out Day
19: Record Store Day
19: Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day
20: Chinese Language Day
20: Easter
20: Plum Pudding Day20: National Pot Smokers Day
20: Spring Astronomy Day
21: Boston Marathon
21: Bulldogs are Beautiful Day
21: Dyngus Day (Monday After Easter)
21: Kindergarten Day
21: National Chocolate-covered Cashews Day
21: National Surprise Drug Test Day
22: Chemists Celebrate The Earth Day
22: Earth Day
22: Girl Scout Leaders Day

22: “In God We Trust Day” Day
22: Mother Earth Day
22: National Jelly Bean Day
22: National Teach Your Children To Save Day
23: English Language Day
23: Impossible Astronaut Dayand (Dr. Who)
23: International Marconi Day
23: Movie Theatre Day
23: Talk Like Shakespeare Day
23: World Book & Copyright Day
23: World Book Night
23: Administrative Professionals Day or Secretary’s Day
24: Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
24: Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day
24: World Meningitis Day
25: Arbor Day
25: DNA Day
25: Hairstylists Appreciation Day
25: Hug A Plumber Day or Plumbers Day
25: National Hairball Awareness Day
25: Malaria Awareness Day
25-27: Satchmo Days
25: Red Hat Society Day
25: World Penguin Day
26: Audubon Day
26: Bob Wills Day
26: Do Dah Day (Pasadena)
26: Eeyore’s Birthday Day
26: Hug An Australian Day
26: National Dance Day
26: National Go Birding Day
26: National Help A Horse Day
26: National Herb Day
26: National Kids and Pets Day
26: National Rebuilding Day
26: National Pretzel Day
26: Penguin Day
26: Richter Scale Day
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26: Sense of Smell Day
26: World Healing Day
26: World Intellectual Property Day
26: World Veterinary Day
26: World Tai Chi & Qigong Day
27: Babe Ruth Day
27: Holocaust Remembrance Day
27: Mantanzas Mule Day
27: Morse Code Day
27: Mother, Father Deaf Day
27: National Pet Parent’s Day
27: Pinhole Photography Day
28: Biological Clock Day
28: Workers Memorial Day
28: World Day for Safety and Health at Work
29: Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
29: International Dance Day
29: “Peace” Rose Day (The flower)
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29: Adopt A Shelter Pet Day
29: Beltane
30: Bugs Bunny Day
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30: International Jazz Day
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30: National Animal Advocacy Day
30: National Honesty Day
30: Spank Out Day – USA
30: Walpurgis Night

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2: Martin Z. Mollusk Day
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2: Tuba Day
3: Armed Forces Day Military-Amateur Crossband Communications Day
3: Beer Pong Day
3: Bladder Cancer Awareness Day
3: Free Comic Book Day
3: Garden Meditation Day
3: Hug Your Cat Day
3: International Space Day
3: Join Hands Day
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3: National Homebrew Day
3: National Scrapbooking Day
3: National Two Different Colored Shoes Day
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3: Paranormal Day
3: Public Radio Day
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3: World Press Freedom Day
3: Kentucky Derby
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4: International Baby Lost Mother’s Day
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4: National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
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5: National Ferret Day
5-6: National Library Legislative Day-6
5: Totally Chipotle Day
6: Buddah Day
6: Give Local America
6: Joseph Brackett Day
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6: No Homework Day
6: Nurses Day or National RN Recognition Day
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7: Bike To School Day
7: Great American Grump Out
7: National Barrier Awareness Day
7: Occupational Safety & Health Day
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8: Free Trade Day
8: National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day
8: National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day

8: No Socks Day
8: Time of Remembrance & Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War-9
8: V E Day
8: World Red Cross / Red Crescent Day
9: Ascension Day
9: National Moscato Day
9: Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day
9: Child Care Provider Day (Friday before Mother’s Day)
9: Fintastic Friday: Giving Sharks A Voice
9: Military Spouse Appreciation Day (Friday before Mother’s Day)
9: National Special-abled Pets Day
10: Armed Forces Day (AFD) Military-Amateur Crossband Communications Day
10: Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Awareness Day
10: International Migratory Bird Day
10: Letter Carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day
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10: National Babysitters Day
10: National Miniature Golf Day
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10: Spring Astronomy Day
10: Stay Up All Night
10: Windmill Day
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10: World Fair Trade Day
10: World Lupus Day
11: Eat What You Want Day
11: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day
11: Hostess Cupcake Day
11: Mother’s Day
11: Mothers At The Wall Day
11: Root Canal Appreciation Day
12: Hug Your Cat Day (Purina)
12: International Nurses Day
12: Limerick Day
12: National Nutty Fudge Day
12: Odometer Day
13: Frog Jumping Day
14: Buddah Day
14: Day of Vesak (On the Full Moon)
14: Donate A Day’s Wages To Charity
14: National Chicken Dance Day
14: National Night Shift Workers Day
14: National Third Shift Workers Day
14: National Women’s Check-up Day
14: Receptionists Day
14: The Stars and Stripes Forever Day
14: Underground America Day
15: Hyperemisis Gravidarum Awareness Day
15: International Day of Families
15: International MPS Awareness Day
15: National Chocolate Chip Day
15: National Tuberous Sclerosis Day
15: Nylon Stockings Day
15: Peace Officer Memorial Day
15: National Employee Health & Fitness Day
15: Straw Hat Day
16-18: Bats Day-18
16: Biographer’s Day
16: Endangered Species Day
16: International Virtual Assistants Day
16: O. Henry Pun-off Day
16: NASCAR Day
16: National Bike to Work Day
16: National Defense Transportation Day
16: National Pizza Party Day
16: National Sea Monkey Day
17: Armed Forces Day
17: Do Dah Day (Birmingham) Note: Several cities have a Do Dah Day.
17: Lag B’omer
17-18: Mike, The Headless Chicken Day
17-18: Morel Mushroom Day

17: National Learn To Swim Day
17: Preakness
17: Syttende Mai
17: World Hypertension Day
17: World Information Society Day
17: World Telecommunications Day
17: World Neurofibromatosis Day (NF Day)
18: Bay to Breakers Race Note: Oldest Footrace in America!
18: HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
18: I Love Reeses Day
18: International Museum Day
18: Mother Whistler Day
18: Neighbor Day
18: Visit Your Relatives Day
19: Accountant’s Day or Accounting Day
19: Boys Club Day
19: May Ray Day
19: National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
19-21: World Autoimmune Arthritis Day
20: Eliza Doolittle Day
20: Everybody Draw Mohammed Day
20: Weights & Measures Day
21: American Red Cross Founder’s Day
21: End of the World or Rapture Party Day (Prediction)
21: I Need A Patch For That Day
21: National Endangered Species Day
21: National Wait Staff Day
21: Sister Maria Hummel Day
21: Turn Beauty Inside Out Day
21: Victoria Day
21: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue & Development
22: Canadian Immigrants Day
22: Harvey Milk Day
22: International Day for Biological Diversity
22: National Maritime Day
22: National Museum Day
22: World Goth Day
23: Declaration of the Bab Day
23: National Taffy Day
23: National Wig Out Day
23: World Crohn’s and Colitis Day
23: World Turtle Day
23: Don’t Fry Day
23: Heat Awareness Day
24: Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day (ARMAD)
24: Brother’s Day
24: International Jazz Day
24: International Tiara Day
24: Julia Pierpont Day
24: Morse Code Day
24: Cookie Monster’s Birthday
Indianapolis 500
24: National Missing Children’s Day
24: National Tap Dance Day
24: Nerd Pride Day or Geek Pride Day
25: Towel Day
26: Memorial Day(Observed.)
26: Prayer for Peace Memorial Day
26: World Lindy Hop Day
27: Cellophane Tape Day
28: National Senior Health & Fitness Day
28: Sierra Club Day
28: Slugs Return From Capistrano Day
28: World MS Day (Multiple Sclerosis)
29: Ascension of Baha’u’Llah
29: Learn About Composting Day
29: International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
29: Put A Pillow On Your Fridge Day
30: Loomis Day
30: Mint Julep Day
30: Heat Awareness Safety Day
31: Hug Your Cat Day
31: What You Think Upon Grows Day
31: The Wicket World of Croquet Day
31: World No-Tobacco Day